"Watatsumi Island's strategic position isn't exactly advantageous, and they lack essential resources. Their food supply relies heavily on Narukami Island's aid and imports from other nations. The only area with a bit of self-sustaining agriculture is Wailing Village, which is nowhere near enough."
While Kunfeng continued forging weapons, Saphir and Yae Miko were analyzing the current political situation in Inazuma.
Yae Miko nodded—she was well aware of all this. "So you're saying Watatsumi Island might rebel against the Shogunate?"
"I never said that," Saphir replied, shaking her head. "If it were me, I'd never seek independence. After all, Ei is the Damocles' sword hanging over the heads of Watatsumi's people. The death of the serpent god Orobashi in the Musoujin Gorge left a deep trauma among the islanders."
"In other words, as long as Ei is still around, any rebellion by Watatsumi would be doomed to fail." Saphir stared into the flames of the forge. "The Sakoku Decree cut off most of their external resources. Even their coral pearls, which relied on exports, have lost their trade channels. Their situation is grim."
Lisa frowned in thought. If that were true, then wasn't Watatsumi Island already being backed into a corner?
Saphir continued, "So, after Ei lifts the Sakoku Decree, I plan to aid Watatsumi's people."
Yae Miko narrowed her eyes. "You're not someone who does good deeds without reason. Come on, what's your scheme? What do you want?"
Saphir smiled with seemingly pure sincerity. "What could I possibly want? Doing good and earning virtue is just par for the course for a kind and pure maiden like me."
Lisa rolled her eyes, too speechless to respond. Yae Miko's expression darkened. Some people were shameless. Some had skin like leather. But this one? She was a shameless fox with armor plating.
"As far as I know, the descendants of Orobashi come from Enkanomiya—the former Byakuyakoku. That was a civilization from the same era as Khaenri'ah. And isn't the entrance to Enkanomiya located on Watatsumi Island?" Yae Miko's gaze carried a tinge of disdain. "Let's be honest—this aid you're offering sounds more like buying a ticket in. And knowing you, calling it a ticket might be an understatement… you're probably planning to book the whole venue." She stopped herself halfway, remembering Lisa's presence. Saying too much in front of a Knight of Favonius high-ranking member wasn't appropriate.
"Just like what you did with Dragonspine," Lisa added with a smile that looked genuine but absolutely wasn't. It was unsettlingly serene for such a statement.
Yae Miko glanced sideways at Lisa, unsure what the woman was thinking.
Perhaps noticing their confusion, Lisa offered an explanation. "Dragonspine has existed within Mondstadt's borders for over a thousand years. Many have tried to explore it. Most were buried there. Few ever returned with anything of value. If we can't claim that treasure trove, then even if you hadn't come, someone else eventually would. Makes no difference to me."
Saphir opened her mouth but said nothing. She wanted to say she really was just being kind. But who would believe that? Not even she believed it.
"So, you've set your eyes on Enkanomiya?" Yae Miko crossed her arms, which inadvertently emphasized her generous curves. Saphir's eyelid twitched at the sight and glanced down at her own barren chest. She clicked her tongue and subtly distanced herself from the vixen.
Lisa chuckled. "Even the Dark Shepherd has her weaknesses. How amusing."
Saphir turned her head away, sulking at the teasing. She shifted her focus to Kunfeng's progress. He had been forging nonstop and was now in peak form. With a brilliant glow, he pulled out a two-handed greatsword.
The steps were the same as always: quenching, sharpening, adjusting. Soon, a uniquely designed greatsword emerged before everyone's eyes.
If Kenshi Masamune gave off an impression of elegance, then this new weapon felt simple and unadorned—yet surprisingly lightweight.
Yes—lightweight. The entire blade carried a strong Liyue aesthetic. A red tassel hung from the pommel. The guard was modest, and the blade was a deep black with a silver edge gleaming coldly. It was long—about 1.5 meters. No one-handed sword would be this size.
Lisa picked it up and examined it carefully. "Is this really a greatsword? Feels a bit narrow and thin."
Yae Miko answered calmly, "The length qualifies it. One-handed swords don't reach this length. Trying to swing this with one hand would strain the wrist. Two-handed is the better option."
Saphir took the sword, gently ran a hand along the blade, then flicked her finger. A crisp, resonant chime rang out—like a divine weapon leaving its sheath.
Lisa nodded in approval. "Good sword. Very sharp, you can tell from the sound alone. And lightweight—perfect for someone who doesn't have brute strength. Are you planning to train in another sword style?"
Saphir shook her head. "No. But what do you think would happen if Noelle used this in her Elemental Burst?"
Lisa's eyes flicked to the sword in Saphir's hand. After a moment of thought, she answered, "Noelle is already strong. With a lighter weapon, her attack speed would increase drastically. Her Burst relies on continuous swinging, but with the weight of geo infusion, typical weapons just drag her down. If she used this…" Lisa nodded firmly. "It would work."
Saphir smiled brightly. "Then it's settled."
Yae Miko was curious now. "Who is this Noelle, anyway? Why are you being so nice to her?"
Lisa was curious too. As far as she knew, Saphir hadn't had much contact with Noelle—just one monster subjugation together. Nothing more. And as the saying went, "No one gives you something for nothing." This Fatui officer was definitely scheming.
Saphir didn't hide it. "Your Knights of Favonius have been suppressing her from becoming a full-fledged Knight. I see potential. I want to recruit her into the Fatui. Makes perfect sense, no?"
Lisa's expression darkened. "You know full well why she can't pass the evaluation."
"Exactly. That's why I can offer her a better environment—where she won't be used or mistreated." Saphir beamed like a saint, but Lisa found it terrifying. Yae Miko simply sighed and covered her face. You're the one most likely to use her, you fraud.
Lisa shook her head. "Noelle's a good kid. She won't say yes. Don't waste your time."
Saphir wasn't surprised by Lisa's reaction. She handed the sword over. "It's fine. I like her, so I want to give her a gift. Let's call this one… Bieyun. Lisa, could I trouble you to give it to her for me?"
Lisa frowned at the sword. She trusted Noelle, but delivering a gift on behalf of a Fatui officer—especially one clearly meant as recruitment bait—made her deeply uncomfortable.
"You don't want to?" Saphir withdrew Bieyun. Lisa quietly exhaled in relief—only for Saphir to add, "No problem. I'll deliver it myself next time. Maybe have a nice little heart-to-heart."
Lisa gave her a wary glance and crossed her arms like Yae Miko had earlier. "Don't try to rope me into anything. I have no say over the evaluations. That's Jean's department. At best, I could try to talk to her. But if Noelle's core issue isn't resolved, pushing her into a knight's role could end up hurting her."
Saphir glanced at her bust again and sighed. "Not worth arguing."
Lisa wasn't amused. "It's not that I absolutely won't help you. But I want to know—what's your real reason for caring so much about a girl you barely know?"
Saphir paused. Even she wasn't entirely sure. Maybe it was because, before Keqing showed up, that little maid who could deal damage, shield, and heal all at once—wielding a Whiteblind sword—was the one who repeatedly used her Breastplate and Burst to clear a path for her.
As Saphir grew stronger and gathered more companions, that girl she pulled from the starter banner never advanced past level 40. Still studying maid etiquette, still preparing for a Knight exam that might never come.
Hit by a bullet of memory, Saphir blinked. "Because she deserves it." She tried to smile to hide something—but couldn't manage it. It turned into a sigh. "It's just my own selfishness. Lisa, you really won't help?"
Looking into her eyes, Lisa hesitated. In the end, she agreed. She didn't know if Saphir's eyes were lying, but she chose to believe. If it turned out to be a lie… then maybe she'd deserve to be fooled.
After a break, Kunfeng's state was fully restored. Seeing that everyone had finished talking, he prepared to begin forging the final weapon: the cross.
This was his first time making such a bizarre weapon, and he wasn't familiar with the process. But with Yae Miko's guidance—she had experience—he felt confident.
Since the forging phase began, Sucrose's presence had faded. She hadn't joined the conversation, and she didn't need to forge anything. Her role was simply to assist Kunfeng—handing over materials and helping with minor tasks.
Saphir brought out the most precious of her prototypes: a cross-shaped weapon. There was only one. The crafting process would also require Dream Solvent—an incredibly rare material. After confirming Kunfeng was in peak condition, she finally prepared to forge her own weapon.
Before they began, Yae Miko asked a crucial question. "Saphir, have you decided what kind of weapon you want this to be?"
Saphir blinked, caught off guard.
Yae Miko made a suggestion. "Why not aim for a divine-forged weapon?"
Saphir looked at her in disbelief. "Divine-forged? Let's not even get into whether that's stronger than artificial ones—do we even have the conditions for it?"
"Artificial weapons tend to favor offensive stats, which is why people think they can rival divine ones. But you don't use the cross for raw damage. Making one focused on attack… don't you think that'd be a waste?"
~~~----------------------
To read 55+ future chapters head over to Patreon:
patreon.com/YonkoSlayer